The Troy Trojans enter the 2025 season looking to bounce back from their 4-8 season in 2024. A season full of injuries in key areas did them zero favors. Thankfully for the Trojans, they are now healthy again. Not only are they healthy but there are some exceptionally talented playmakers that have joined the team from the transfer portal.
The biggest piece of the puzzle for Troy is the quarterback position. After quarterback Goose Crowder suffered a season ending injury in 2024, things just did not go the way that the Trojans would like. Now, Crowder is healthy and is surround by weapons. The Goose is ready to be set loose.
Roster Turnover
Like all teams, Troy lost a few players to the portal. That said, the incoming playmakers outweigh the outgoing playmakers.
The headlining loss was star wide receiver Devante Ross. Ross takes his talents to Penn State, joining a Nittany Lions team that is one of the favorites to win a national championship in the 2025-2026 season. Losing a 1,000-yard wide receiver is never easy to replace, but for the Trojans they not only have some veterans returning they also welcome in a few notable names.
The most notable name joining the offense is former Mississippi State and Georgia wide receiver RaRa Thomas. Thomas is a speedy wide receiver that missed the 2024 season due to some legal issues. In March of 2025 it was announced that Thomas had accepted a plea deal and joined the Trojans for the 2025 season. While currently listed as second team on the depth chart, expect the speedy Thomas to find his way on the field and make an impact on the offense.
Running back Trey Cooley joins the Trojans after suffering an injury in 2024 as a member of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Upon his return, he was never able to get back to his dominating ways and unable to find his way back to the field. Now 100% he has made his way to Troy and has been penciled in as the starting running back going into Week 1.
For a more in-depth look at the Troy roster, click here.
Schedule
Overall, Troy has a pretty manageable schedule. While there are some very tough match ups ahead of the Trojans, winning the Sun Belt Conference and potentially playing themselves into the College Football Playoff.
In the non-conference portion of their schedule it is a mix of good and bad news. The good news is that they face Nicholls State and Buffalo. The bad news is that they play Clemson and Memphis. Thankfully for Troy, they get Memphis at home in what should be an amazing atmosphere at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama.
Looking at the conference schedule, Troy was able to avoid JMU and Georgia Southern during the regular season. The Trojans are also able to host Louisiana at home.
Road match ups with Texas State, Old Dominion, ULM and Southern Miss will be no easy tasks, but with the roster that the Trojans have put together, winning those games is very possible. The final game of the season on the road at Southern Miss could have a lot riding on it for both teams, as both are projected to be two of the better teams in the conference.
At home, like Louisiana mentioned earlier, Troy will also host Georgia State, Arkansas State and South Alabama at Veterans Memorial Stadium. This is a respectable slate of teams to host, but the odds of Troy winning at the minimum 3 of the 4 games looks promising.
Projected Record
Floor: 5-7
Ceiling: 11-1
Prediction: 9-3
Story to Watch
The Troy Trojans have a lot of potential in Gerad Parker’s second season as the head coach. The chemistry is there, the team is healthy, and this team should finish in the top 4 of the Sun Belt.
Goose Crowder is a name to watch for. After suffering a season ending injury in 2024, it is clear that he is the key piece for this offense to be in sync. While losing his top receiver, it is going to be interesting to monitor the new receiver room. The potential is there for this offense to be unstoppable, especially if Trey Cooley returns to the version of himself that the world saw prior to his injury.
On the defensive side of the ball, the team is loaded. David Daniel-Sisavanh comes in from Georgia after being dismissed for a violation of team rules and was a player that Kirby Smart was very high on. He is a no-nonsense safety that is not afraid to lay the hammer down. With his veteran presence added to this already talented defense, the future is extremely bright for Daniel-Sisavanh.
It is no surprise that Troy is expected to have an outstanding season. Forgetting 2024 is key, and if they can do that and play their style of football, the opportunities are endless. Expect 2025 to be a special season for the Troy Trojans.
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